Name: Sambar
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 cup toor dal; 3 cups water; 1/2 tsp ground turmeric; 2 tbsp tamarind pulp; 1 cup hot water; 2 drumsticks or carrots; 1 aubergine; 10 shallots; 100 g okra; 3 tbsp sambar powder; 2 tsp salt; 1 tsp jaggery; 2 tbsp coconut or sesame oil; 1 tsp mustard seeds; 2 dried red chillies; a sprig curry leaves; a pinch asafoetida; a handful coriander leaves

1 cup

1 Cook until completely soft, then whisk 25m

4 Combine everything and simmer 15 minutes 15m Add the tamarind after the dal is soft — acid stops lentils softening any further.

6 Pour the tempering over and cover for a minute before serving 2m

3 cups

1/2 tsp

2 tbsp

2 Soak and strain 12m

1 cup

3 Boil until just tender 12m

100 g

3 tbsp

2 tsp

1 tsp

2 tbsp

5 Fry until the mustard seeds pop 3m Wait for the popping. Unpopped mustard seeds are bitter.

1 tsp

a sprig

a pinch

a handful

Acid last

Acid strengthens the pectin holding plant cell walls together, which is why lentils and beans simmered in anything sour stay stubbornly firm. Cook the dal until it collapses, then add tamarind. The same rule explains why tomatoes go in late in bean dishes.

Notes

Shallots whole rather than chopped. They sweeten and hold their shape.
Sambar powder varies enormously between households and regions; buy a good one or make your own and adjust to it.
The tempering is not a garnish. Poured over hot and covered for a minute, it perfumes the whole pot.

Method

Cook until completely soft, then whisk

Soak and strain

Boil until just tender

Combine everything and simmer 15 minutes

Fry until the mustard seeds pop

Pour the tempering over and cover for a minute before serving

Acid last

Notes